UFC lightweight champion Conor McGregor's takes on WWE have been varied over the last few years, though mostly he's completely dissed it -- going so far as to trash talk wrestlers themselves.
Asked recently about former UFC women's bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey's foray into the squared circle, McGregor literally stopped in his tracks and shared his thoughts. To some, they may be quite surprising.
"I'm delighted for her. Absolutely over the moon for her. She looked like she really enjoyed herself at the [Royal Rumble], and I was very, very happy to see her," he said in a heartfelt manner when asked by multiple reporters outside his vehicle. "She's a pioneer for the game. And she came through it all and faced big wins and big, big losses, and she came through it, and it's great to see her represent herself and mixed martial arts and have fun in the WWE. I know she's been a big fan of it all through her life, so it's been great to see that."
Long-time WWE broadcaster Jim Ross -- just a couple months ago in a Fox Sports interview -- said that McGregor himself will "definitely" join WWE at some point, though likely in a "one-off special occasion" in which chairman Vince McMahon will hand McGregor "a massive check." Ross went so far as to say he "guaranteed" an appearance by McGregor at some point, likely at a future WrestleMania.
Rousey has signed what is being referred to as a "full-time" contract with WWE, though it is unknown how often she will actually appear. She may wind up scheduled like Brock Lesnar, who only appears on TV every few weeks and only fights on major pay-per-views, work a completely normal WWE superstar schedule or find herself somewhere in between.
She has said that being a WWE superstar is now her career and No. 1 priority "for the next several years." We shall soon find out.
